Dining

Victoria, British Columbia: Restaurants, cafes and bakeries

November 19, 2012

In autumn Vancouver Island abounds with heirloom tomatoes, pears, apples, plums, exotic squash, pumpkins, wild mushrooms… Restaurants Bengal Lounge ~ Fairmont Empress Hotel (721 Government Street). Drawing inspiration from Queen Victoria’s role as the Empress of India, this colonial style lounge is known throughout Victoria for its authentic curry buffet and signature cocktail menu. Frequented [...]

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Ireland in September

October 28, 2012

Those of us who read the New York Times know Frank Bruni as an Op-Ed columnist; I had forgotten he was the restaurant critic of The Times from June 2004 to August 2009. Enjoy this thoughtful salute to his mother and musings on Ireland as he travels the country by car… I went in mid-September, [...]

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Fredericksburg, Virginia ~ Dining

April 24, 2012

This Easter we are up in the air, flying from Seattle, WA to Washington, DC non-stop with Alaska Airlines. Thinking about our food plans, I do some research on restaurants in Fredericksburg, VA, which we will be passing through around dinner time on our drive to Norfolk, VA. Bistro Bethem rises up as I search. [...]

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Santa Fe, New Mexico ~ Restaurants, Farmers Market

April 5, 2012

Deciding where to dine in Santa Fe is serious fun. Our generous hosts, Dorsey & Richard, have sampled all the best local fare and together we have a terrific time experiencing some of the local favorites… Tesuque Village Market, 138 Tesuque Village Road, is a charming market and restaurant about 15 minutes north of Santa [...]

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San Miguel de Allende: Restaurants, bakeries, groceries

February 24, 2012

Whether you are eating at home or dining out at a local restaurant, San Miguel de Allende food is tasty and affordable… Restaurants La Sirena Gorda (The Fat Mermaid) ~ Calle Bar­ranca at the cor­ner with Calle Huer­tas. Happening little neighborhood cantina, dating back to the 1920s. Nothing pretentious. No white tablecloths. Just good, fast service [...]

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San Miguel de Allende: La semana cuarta y última

February 11, 2012

The Museo Histórico de San Miguel de Allende is one of many “regional museums” of Mexico. It was the home of Ignacio Allende, who was a principle protagonist in the early part of the Mexican War of Independence. The structure, built in 1759 with Baroque and Neoclassical elements, is located next to the San Miguel [...]

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San Miguel de Allende: Saturday Organic Farmers Market

February 3, 2012

Entering the Saturday Organic Farmers Market one of the first things we notice is an outdoor dining area under the shade trees filled with people eating. Then the aromas of tortillas and gorditas frying on the griddles. Two Mexican families are cooking and serving up a storm of tacos, tamales, quesadillas, and huaraches – their [...]

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San Miguel de Allende: La Tercera Semana

January 24, 2012

Each Sunday since our arrival in San Miguel de Allende we begin the day with a morning walk around the Jardin Botanica. Located on a hilltop 1.5 km northeast of town, this 217 acre area is a wildlife and bird sanctuary. Today as we do our silent walk around the sanctuary we come upon this [...]

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Oaxaca, Mexico

January 19, 2012

Oaxaca is another artful city in Mexico on our list to visit – read about the town, some of its culture, food, and nightlife from New York Times writer, Freda Moon… WITH Oaxaca’s imposing Baroque churches, plant-filled courtyards and shady plazas perfect for people-watching, it’s tempting to see the city as a photogenic relic of [...]

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San Miguel de Allende: Le Segundo Semana

January 16, 2012

The day is just dawning this Sunday morning when we hear the sound of drummers very close by… Jay quickly dresses, grabs his camera and heads out the door. Men and boys dressed as Indian dancers and drummers are parading down a nearby street, creating a rich drum beat in rolling 4/4 time, as they [...]

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San Miguel de Allende: La Primera Semana

January 9, 2012

San Miguel is a feast for the senses… the smell of corn tortillas toasting, our first night view of La Parroquia in the Jardin, church bells ringing the hour… Enjoy a sampling of our first week in this spirited and colorful colonial town. Where is San Miguel de Allende? The city is located in the [...]

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Mexico City International Airport Dining and Lodging

January 1, 2012

Good news, if your travels require an overnight stay at the Mexico City International Airport, you can be very comfortable. The Hilton Hotel located in Terminal One at the airport has complimentary high speed internet service, comfortable rooms, and an attractive bar and restaurant. During our recent stay the hotel staff was very helpful and [...]

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Lexington, Kentucky and the Bourbon Trail

November 20, 2011

Bluegrass, rolling hills, grazing horses… Kentucky is beautiful. At the entrance to downtown Lexington Gwen Reardon’s collection of sculptures in Thoroughbred Park greets us. The park is a tribute to the thoroughbred race horse, and features thirteen sculptures. Seven life-size bronze race horses and jockeys race toward an imaginary finish line, while in the adjacent [...]

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Seattle’s TEDxRainier 2011 Conference

November 14, 2011

Heading off the island Friday evening we are full of anticipation about tomorrow’s TEDx Rainier event. This year’s theme is Gained in Translation: Ideas Crossing Frontiers, featuring over twenty five speakers whose ideas and extraordinary work span across domains and fuel innovations and insights. Followers of TED for years online, this is our first live [...]

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Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR

November 10, 2011

Leaving family in Missouri we head to Bentonville, Arkansas for an overnight. Yes, this is the home of Walmart and Jay wants to visit their flagship store, Sam’s Club, where they are practicing state of the art sustainability. We have no trouble getting a room at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bentonville.  A friendly young [...]

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Martin Luther King and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorials

November 6, 2011

I was born (in the USA…) and raised in the Washington, DC area and I love to return to visit. On this trip east we have one day in DC and decide to walk along the Tidal Basin, through the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, to the new Martin Luther King Memorial. The Tidal Basin is [...]

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Cincinnati, OH and Covington, KY too

October 19, 2011

“Experience, travel – these are as education in themselves” ~ Euripides, Greek playwright, c. 480-406 BC. In the ancient tradition of traveling across lands, I find myself stimulated and curious to learn about each area we are driving through or stopping to visit as we traverse the country. Sitting with our friends on their balcony [...]

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Pit Stop in Rapid City, South Dakota

September 29, 2011

Mid-day we make a pit stop in Rapid City looking for wireless service, lunch, a natural foods store… and architecturally interesting buildings. Right downtown and an easy drive from the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore, The Hotel Alex Johnson is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structural design is a blend [...]

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Crazy Horse Memorial in Custer, South Dakota

September 6, 2011

Arriving late in Custer, SD we happen upon the Rocket Motel. Located in downtown Custer within walking distance of restaurants & shops, and with the coolest lobby we have seen so far, we take a room. The decor is black and white with a pristine white cotton bedspread and very fun black & white check [...]

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Butte, Montana

August 20, 2011

In its heyday, from the late 19th century to about 1920, Butte was one of the largest and most notorious copper boomtowns in the West, with a maze of over 10,000 miles of mines beneath it’s surface. As was common in the early wild west, Butte was home to hundreds of saloons and a famous [...]

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